TROY, Ala. – Kennesaw State University softball exploded on offense in a 14-5 romp over Eastern Illinois Saturday at the Troy Invitational.

The Owls (7-1) wasted no time with the bats in an eight-run first inning. Brea Dickey's RBI double and Jade Lee's RBI single set the tone. Then, Lexi Solorzano singled and advanced to second on a throwing error in center field that allowed Cheyanne Sales to score. 

Taylor Cates and Faith Alexander each produced RBI hits for a 5-0 lead. KSU then took advantage of Panther miscues. Two scored on a fielding error at short off Hannah Thomason's at-bat. She later wrapped the inning's eight-spot on a muffed throw from the Panther first baseman.

KSU tacked on a couple of runs in the third on a Dickey RBI single up the chute, and a Sales RBI fielder's choice. 

Peyton Elzey went to work with the early offensive support. She fired three innings and allowed just one hit and run. The hurler struck out three and walked just one against 12 batters.

She and the Owls ran into trouble in the fourth. Kristen Davis (2-0) earned the win in relief yet allowed three earned runs off four walks.

Lindsey Kyte was called upon to close the Panther (4-2) scoring and settled the opposition well. Her only trouble was a fifth inning solo shot in what would be 3.2 innings of relief with three hits, the one run, a walk, and two punch-outs.

The Owls silenced anymore rally attempts with a four-run seventh. Christen Florence, Raleigh Williams, and Lee all produced run-scoring singles, and Solorzano topped the scoring with a double.

KSU totaled 15 hits while holding EIU to just four, and the Owls moved to 1-2 all-time in the "Nathan Bryant Classic" by avenging last spring's setbacks.

KSU closes the Troy Invitational Sunday against Southeast Missouri State with a 3 p.m. ET start.